A working system for social service delivery

The design of a system to provide for delivery of social services to clients and accountability to the state is presented. An introduction to actual systems problems in social services delivery is provided together with the human interaction processes necessary to bring successfully the systems approach to social service delivery. An analysis of case histories has been accomplished to determine common characteristics among actual cases which leads to a classification system for multiproblem families relative to family functioning. A detailed description of the system and the flow diagrams of information, decision, and activity (IDA) points is given. The system is in and working in Lynchburg, Va. and is to be installed and completed in Chesapeake, Va., by the end of 1974. Typical displays of the information system outputs as provided to case workers and supervisors are shown.